Khajuraho Temples: A Catalogue of Desire

Khajuraho Group of Monuments better known as Khajuraho Temples consists of 20 temples; Hindu temples and Jain Temples. Off course their erotic ornamentation has played a significant role in making Khajuraho an important tourist site, but there are more to these magnificent temples than those sculptures carved on the exteriors of the structures.

Precision in the carvings and legendary tale of these temples are captivating. UNESCO has listed Khajuraho Group of Monuments as a World Heritage Site. Get to know more about Khajuraho group of temples as you read forth.

View of Kandariya Mahadev Temple in Khajuraho

What is the history of Khajuraho Temples

The temples are sculpted in the Nagara Style of architecture and date back to 950 AD, during the reign of Chandela dynasty. According to the records, by the 12^th century Khajuraho had about 80 temples, out of which only 20 have survived. The temples roughly cover an area of 6 km sq. Out of these 20, Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is considered the best of all. Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is the largest and grandest of all, and is believed to have been built by King Ganda. The temple of Vishnu (aka Temple of Lakshmana) was built by Yasovarman and his successor indulged in the making of the temple of Parsvanatha, Visvanatha and Vaidyanatha. Read further and know more about Khajuraho.

Where is Khajuraho Temple Located

Khajuraho Group of Temples have been divided into three groups as per their locations: Eastern Group, Western Group and Southern Group. Khajuraho is located in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, India. 

What is the Entry Fee to visit Khajuraho Temples

Price of the tickets varies between INR 20 (daily) and 600 (seasonal). Ticket worth Rs 600 is meant for the people who plan to attend all the events all throughout the week. While in the INR 20 ticket, you can attend one or two performances in one day. There are separate charges for the camera (RS 100), on per day basis.

Sound and Light Show

Khajuraho Light and Sound Show is conducted the tourism department. As dusk starts to set in, the gardens of western group of Khajuraho Temples start to glimmer with different shades of light. This show reflects the lifestyle during the Chandela Dynasty, informing about the construction, significance and history of these temple (In English and Hindi). The stories are narrated in the voice of Amitabh Bachchan.  Timings of the show are- English: 6:30 Pm to 7:25 Pm, Hindi: 7:40 Pm, to 8:35 Pm.

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments

The Khajuraho Group of Temples has Hindu as well as Jain Temple. All of them are built similarly, and it is said that the temples intended to create a harmony between these two religions. You can find most eminent temples in the western zones like Varaha, Lakshmana, Matangeshwara, Mahadeva, Kandariya, Chopra Tank, Chitragupta, Prvati, Vishwanath and Nandi.

While in the eastern and southern groups, don’t forget to visit Ghantai, Adinath, Parshvanath, Shantinath, Chaturbhuj and Dulhadeo. The temple of Vishnu (aka Temple of Lakshmana) was built by Yasovarman and his successor indulged in the making of the temple of Parsvanatha, Visvanatha and Vaidyanath. Listed down are the best temples of the group, and you must not miss them.

1. Eastern Group of Temple

These are divided in two parts- Jain Temple and Hindu Temples. Some of the best temples in eastern side are Hanuman Temple, Vamana Temple, Parsvanath Temple, Adinath Temple, Ghantai Temple and Brahma Temple.

2. Southern Group of Temples

Dulha Deo Temple and Chaturbhuja Temple are the two very important temples. Dulha Deo is dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built somewhere around 1100 AD and 1150 AD.

3. Western Group of Temples

This group is mainly comprised of Hindu Temples like Kandariya Mahadeo, Chaunsat Yogini Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Varaha Temple, Lakshmana Temple, Vishwanath Temple and Matangeshwara Temple.

Archeological Museum

The museum was established in 1967 and exhibits a collection of archeological findings and artifacts. This is an open-air museum and is located near the Matangeshwar Temple of the western group of temples.

Festivals in Khajuraho

Khajuraho Dance Festival

The festival is organized by Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad. It is a weeklong festival that falls in the month of February. People gather in this spectacular venue, in an open air auditorium and behold the performances of various Indian classic dance forms like Kathakali, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Bharatnatyam and others.  Usually the gathering takes place in Chandragupta Temple, Surya Temple or Vishwanatha Temple.

How to reach Khajurao

By Air

Khajuraho has its own airport called Khajuraho Airport. It is connected to Delhi, Agra and Varanasi, with the services of Jet Airways, Air India and SpiceJet.

By Train

Nearest railway station from Khajuraho is Mahoba, at a distance of about 77 Km. Mahoba railway station is a broad-gauged railway station connected to different cities of the country. You can further opt to take a train for Khajuraho or hire a taxi.

By Road

Khajuraho is an important city wherein there is ease of transportation. From bus services to private cabs, you have many options for commuting in and around Khajuraho.

Best time to visit Khajuraho

Khajuraho in summer - From April till July

Summers are recommended to be avoided, as the weather gets really hot and uncomfortable. May and June are the hottest months of the season and the temperature may rise up to 47 degrees Celsius.

Khajuraho in Monsoon - From July till September

Monsoon season brings life to Khajuraho. This is a brilliant tune to visit Khajuraho, as it gets refreshing and pleasant during this season. 

Khajuraho in winter - From October till March

Winter is the best time to visit Khajuraho. In the coldest months December and January, temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius. Visit Khajuraho in February and don’t forget to be a part of Khajuraho Dance Festival.

[Explore Khajuraho Tour Packages at indianholiday.com] 

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Sun Temple Konark: A Travel Guide

Built in 13th Century, The Konark Sun Temple, popularly called as a Black Pagoda, is known for its magnificent architecture. The temple is built in the shape of an enormous chariot with elaborately carved stone pillars, wheels and walls.

Because of its astounding architectural significance, The Sun Temple in Konark in Odisha is included in UNESCO World Heritage Site. NDTV and The Times of India, both, also included the Temple in their popular list of Seven Wonders of India.

Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Location: Konark, Odisha- 752111

Built by: King Narasimhadeva I

Built in: 13th century

Highlights: Architecture, interior and exterior drawings and paintings, Eastern gateway, Decorations, Nata Mandir, Religious processions

How to Reach: The Sun Temple in Konark is located 63 km from Bhubaneswar Airport. From the airport, you can avail any means of transport to make your way to the Temple. It is situated at a distance of 31 km from Puri Railway Station. From the railway station, the tourists can avail taxis or cabs to reach the sun Temple. The roads are well connected to the Temple.

Best time to visit: Due to the unbearable heat during the summers in Konark, the best time to visit Sun Temple in Konark is during comparatively cooler months of October to March.

Entry Fee: Rupees 10 per person for Indians and 250 Rupees per person for foreign tourists (children up to 15 years free).

Timings: All days of the week 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Introduction

The Sun Temple in Konark depicts Sun god traveling in his Majestic chariot and aims to bring together people from all section of the society just like the Sun God treating each and everyone as equals. The Audience Hall, Dining hall and Dancing Hall are simple glorious sight to watch. While a tourist enters the temple, he/she realizes that the face of the temple is in the East-West direction.

There are numerous trees surrounding the tree including mahogany, rosewood, eel etc. The temple had been ruined by various attacks done during earlier times. The uprooted stones and distorted images are still present inside the walls of the temple today.

Sculpted Wheel at the Sun Temple, Konark

The numerous images prescribed on the Temple’s walls present various animals in a pose including giraffe, snakes, elephants etc. Multifarious mythological paintings have also been drawn on the walls of Sun Temple including those of Goddess Shakti , God Vishnu, Lord Shiva etc.

Lots of walls are also covered with erotic paintings putting on display women in extremely seductive poses and each of the paintings tells a story to the tourists.  The tourists can also view the remnants of Mahagayitri temple and Vaishnava Temple.

History

Built in 13th Century by King Narsimhadeva I of the Ganga dynasty, Konark temple is a stunning architectural feat. When the Muslim rule weakened in 13th Century after Mohammad Ghori’s death, Hindu kings fought numerous battles under King Narsimhadeva I. After his victory, to celebrate and remember this feat, the Sun Temple was built.

Entrance to the Konark Sun Temple in Konark, India

Some myths and legends are also linked with the construction of Sun Temple in Konark. It is believed that Samba, Lord Krishna’s son suffered from leprosy and to get it cured he did penance for continuous 12 years and worshipped the Sun God.

Impressed with his dedication, The Sun God or Surya blessed Samba with the Sun Temple to express his gratitude to him, after he completed his period of penance. He was also healed of his ailment by Surya.

There are also some legends regarding the temple that states that the Sun Temple, under her garb, possesses a magnificent aura of power in and around it.

The aura is supposed to be magnetic in nature, and the aura of power is considered to be due to the presence of two very strong magnets which were used for the tower’s construction. Some legends suggest that the king’s throne hovered in mid-air due to these magnets during king’s court sessions.

Carved Sculptures at the Konark Sun Temple

Other legends state that the magnetic effects pulled the vessels that passed through Konark Sea and caused huge damages. Also, the magnetic compass used to get disturbed by the powerful magnetic effects. The Portuguese sailors, to protect their vessels, carved out the iron columns and lodestones of the temple’s walls.

Because of this, the temple walls were destroyed as they lost their balance and fell down. Though, so far, there are no evidences to support these legends, they are very popular among the masses that visit the temple.

A major portion of the Konark temple was destroyed due to the continuous violent attacks by Kalaphad’s on Odisha. The general worked under the Sultan of Bengal named Sulaiman Khan Karrani.

Some Interesting Facts about Sun Temple

• The Sun Temple is currently under ruins.
• Surya, a popular deity in India since the Vedic Civilization, is the one to whom the temple is dedicated.
• The Temple is of the dimensions 261 m by 160 m (857 ft by 540 ft).
• The Sun temple is aligned in East-West direction.
• Twelve pairs of exceptionally designed and beautifully decorated stone wheels are fixed in the temple. 
• The idea to design the horses was to portray Surya or the Sun God himself driving a chariot. The head of Surya is supposed to be inside the garbhagriha.
• On East side, facing the sea is the prime entrance of the temple, which is located in front of Hall of Offerings.
• Traditional dance recitals are performed in the halls due to the presence of dancers and musicians sculptures on the walls.
• The Sanctuary Tower, on Western side once had a roof in the shape of pyramid and was named as Jaganmohan.
• There is a sculpture of Nataraja performing an exotic dance on the platform at the base.
• A magnificent statute of Surya in green colored chlorite stone is carved out in the temple. 
• There are numerous extremely erotic paintings and sculptures carved on the walls of the vast temple.

Interested in knowing more about the top 10 Temples in India? Click here

Written By Karan Saxena

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